


Huang Renjun's unhelpful guide to being a witch

by lowqualityyoongz



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Curses, Ghosts, Grim Reapers, I love Kun, Light Angst, M/M, Multi, Souls, Wiccan - Freeform, a lot of fate talk, chenle a little slow too, cute kisses, falling for ghosts, i dont wanna give too much away in the tags, jaemin is a flirt and kinda annoying, jeno is a nerd, norenmin is the main ship, other relationships are only mentioned, renjun centric, renjun is smol, the china line are witches, witches and shit, yukhei and ten are dumbasses
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-20
Updated: 2018-12-15
Packaged: 2019-08-26 12:05:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 20,397
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16681303
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lowqualityyoongz/pseuds/lowqualityyoongz
Summary: Huang Renjun has accepted his reality and in turn has to room with 5 other guys. Despite having clashing personalities and gifts, they all manage to survive. But Renjun asks himself what it was that he did in his past life for him to suddenly be involved with an overbearingly nice spirit and a grim reaper chasing after said spirit in a big pink fluffy bunny costume.





	1. rule #1

**Author's Note:**

> there are probably a lot of errors but this has been siting in my drafts for way too long so,,,, also i didn't mean to make the first chapter this angst (?) oh and the whole grim reaper in a pink bunny costume was an idea taken from the japanese drama called Omukae Desu. Everything else is of my thoughts, i just wanted to incorporate it cause i felt like it.

The dim moonlight peeked past the blinds of the dark bedroom, Chenle’s soft puffs of air as he slept peacefully in their shared room were the only sounds Renjun’s ear picked up on besides the chorus of crickets singing chimes outside their window. Renjun let out an exhausted sigh and stared up at the ceiling. Unlike Chenle, who was messily sprawled out on the bed a feet away from Renjun’s, the other boy was lying flat on his back. His right arm was brought up and curled beside his head on the pillow beneath him.

Despite being utterly drained from all the moving that weekend, Renjun couldn’t find himself being taken over by sleep. Even with his aching muscles from lifting up so many boxes and climbing the stairs to their apartment, Renjun’s eyelids felt as light as ever and his mind only raced. Reminding himself of his rules. Unlike like most teens, Renjun wasn’t one of most to begin with, the young boy had rules. As someone with a gift such as his, he felt some sort of comfort in the rules he had created for himself. These rules helped him not lose his mind.

It was sunday, him and his 5 other brothers had spent the entire weekend moving. They had to do it quick too, it was such a short notice but they didn’t have any other choice. And it wasn’t surprising that it had been Chenle’s fault, he had always managed to slip up. Despite that, everything was back to it’s odd normality.

Ten and Kun could be heard conversing in hushed voices a couple of doors down in their own room. Sicheng was more than likely reading a book and it was obvious of what Yukhei was doing at the sound of his baritone voice thundering out protests to the cliche video game music playing from across the hall. Their lives weren’t any different, they never were when they moved. Even from China to such a foreign country like Korea, none of them were affected. And if they were, they never let it show.

The small chinese boy’s thoughts continued to run, Renjun wasn’t going to miss their previous home. He never had with the others, this time it wasn’t any different. He just laid there, thinking about how he was going to start school the next day. They moved quickly if needed, considering their gifts and abilities, it was no surprise that Kun, their oldest brother, had easily managed to enroll Renjun and Chenle into a new school in less than 24 hours. Kun was the strongest and most mature out of all of them. They all depended on him quite frequently.

Renjun thought for a couple of more hours before he finally felt the weighing exhaustion bite at him. His eyelids started to feel heavy and he found himself drifting into his first peaceful sleep in a long time. The chorus of crickets sweetly sung his lullaby.

 

+

 

_Rule number 1: If you don’t acknowledge them, they’re not there._

 

While the birds flapped their wings and settled in trees covered in morning dew, the sunlight seeped through familiar blinds of a familiar bedroom. None of these noises bothered the peacefully sleeping Renjun until he felt a sudden weight bloom at his torso. He stirred at the feeling. The chinese boy’s eyes were softly shut and his blanket wrapped around him like a snake as he tried to curl into himself but couldn’t, due to the unknown weight straddling him. Renjun groaned and let his head lol to the side, his brows creased as he sighed uncomfortably. His mind became more conscious and he squirmed harder underneath the weight.

“Chenle get off.” The boy puffed out weakly, seconds passed and Renjun received no response. The chinese boy didn’t think much of it and instead, with a couple of more tugs and squirms, he managed to free his still aching arms from the fabric of his blanket before lifting them sluggishly. Renjun brought them forward and tried to reach out for whatever weighed on him. Expecting the hardness of Chenle’s chest under his fingertips he was surprised to feel nothing but air. Confusion dawned him, hints of fear crawled darkly in his chest just as a chill ran down his spine. With his eyes still shut, Renjun frowned.

Renjun felt cold all of a sudden and his heart picked up it’s pace. His dry throat tightened as the realization of his current situation finally caught up to his conscious. He suddenly felt a heavy sickness wave over him, his stomach turned. The hairs on his arms stood to their ends as he let them hang there, in the air in front of him where the weight was on his torso. The weight was like ice and felt like sand bags. Renjun’s breath lodged itself in his throat and his lungs felt significantly tighter. The weight on him wasn’t Chenle. His heart thundered feverishly, but Renjun hadn’t dared to open his eyes. His skin crawled as another sick turn plagued his sinking stomach and he felt the food from last night seep up his throat, stinging him and bringing tears to his tightly shut eyes.

_If you don’t acknowledge them, they’re not there._

Renjun chanted those words repeatedly in the closed space of his mind. His eye sockets ached from how tightly he had his eyes shut. The chinese boy had tuned out all other sounds long ago, leaving nothing but the thundering of his heart ringing in his ear drums. A headache peeked at his temples as did beads of sweat. Renjun’s arms started to ache even more from being held up in the air for so long. He hadn’t dared to even move, anything could trigger whatever was on him. Minutes passed by and his heart only banged suffocatingly against his rib cage as he took short breaths through his nose, too busy gnawing on his bottom lip to heave out.

Suddenly, something cold fanned Renjun cheek and he felt his heart come to a complete halt before it dropped to his stomach. There was the sound of his bed creaking and the weight above him shifted slightly before what felt like cold and chilling lips brushed the shell of his ear. Renjun wanted to scream, he wanted let out a bloodied scream and sob similar to the ones he was so accustomed to hearing. Instead, his bottom lip stayed tightly in between his teeth so much that he felt iron pool on his tongue. Renjun could’ve honestly cared less at that moment just as a breath fanned briskly against his ear and along his cheek. Despite having long tuned out all noise Renjun couldn’t have missed hearing these chilling words even if he wanted to.

“Help…” A layered and distorted voice sobbed silently, “Help me… please help,” The words echoed and rang through renjun’s ears in countless different octaves. His temples pulsed harshly as the voice continued to pathetically sob making Renjun’s head feel like it was going to split in half. His heart sank further into his organs and he squeezed his eyes even tighter. Hot and unexpected tears streamed down the sides of his face as the ugly layered voice chanted those words into the shell of his ear until it became distorted even more so, it growled those words now.

“Help me.” They hissed venomously and Renjun held back a fearful whimper.

Renjun felt his chest knot up just as something tight wrapped itself around Renjun’s neck. He finally let the lip in between his teeth go as he choked out a breath, his eyes hammered shut still and his body motionless as the force gripping at his throat tightened and tightened, the voice never seized it’s gut turning chant.  

“HELP ME PLEASE.” the voice rumbled in Renjun’s ear drums but the chinese boy was unresponsive, his arms finally moving from hanging in the air to trying to latch onto the nonexistence force the had him in it’s grip. He could barely get air into his lungs let alone cry for help now. He couldn’t even chant a spell and get rid of whatever held onto. Renjun’s mind began to swim sickly, caught between giving out and staying conscious. Was this the end? Renjun thought helplessly. It couldn’t be, the boy kicked around in his blankets, visibly turning a shade of purple. Despite having his oxygen supply being shortened and his mind dancing between a state of understanding and dread Renjun managed to twist his legs until his foot met the cold of the wall and with all his might he kicked the wood hard and repeatedly just as the voice got louder and louder. Renjun even felt liquid trickle down his ear.

He kicked harder and faster with the heel of his foot loudly until his blood dripping ears faintly picked up on the sound of rushed footsteps and the door being slammed open. Renjun gasped just as what felt like sharp nails dug into his flesh.

“Renjun!” Kun’s voice was heard calling out just as the voice screamed, so bloodied and horrid that it burned the smaller chinese boy’s head. The grip on his throat loosened significantly and Renjun gasped out a breath before frantically inhaling oxygen, color finally was coming back to his cheeks but he wouldn’t dare to open his eyes, the weight on his torso still very much there and the voice still yelled in horror. If Renjun focused, past the blood boiling moans and sobs, he could hear what was Kun’s usually soft vocals roughly chanting an incantation, determination behind every word he bravely pronounced. Soon the sick weight on Renjun’s torso was completely gone and his bruised throat was rid of it’s grip. The voice followed after too, turning into soft and sad whispers until it was utterly silent. Renjun’s taut muscles went limp and he let his hands fall on his chest, taking hard and pathetic breathes.

Renjun stayed like that for another minute, his mind trying to register the fact it could now access oxygen. His eyes were still shut and his blood was still running cold. There was the faint sound of short footsteps until Renjun felt his bed dip. The chinese boy felt an alarm go off in his mind, thinking it had come back. He let his mouth drop before the sound of a blood freezing scream materialized in his throat. It rang through the walls and Renjun gathered all the strength his could to feebly curl in on himself, bringing his knees quickly to his chest and his face shoved in between his legs. Everything stung, ached and burned but Renjun was to busy letting out cracking sobs to pay minding to his yelling muscles and stinging flesh.

“Renjun! It’s Kun, please,” Kun called out warmly, concern weaved into his soft vocals. The oldest reached out hesitantly as Renjun instinctively flinched. His whole body trembled and his heart couldn’t seem to calm down. Not for a minute had he opened his eyes. It stayed silent like that, with Renjun faintly sobbing into his legs. A few seconds passed before the bed creaked again and Renjun felt himself get gathered up by warm arms. The arms lifted him up as they brought him to a familiar warm chest. Renjun trembled in the hold but let himself get engulfed by the heat. It was okay now. He was okay now. With those thoughts, Renjun’s sobs went to a faint stop and he melted in Kun’s hold, savoring his brother.  

 

+

 

“Yukhei you fucking dumbass, I told you cast that spell on the apartment before we started to move.” Ten scoffed and Yukhei returned it with a gasp in unbelief. The thai boy rolled his eyes and stabbed his egg with the fork before bringing up to his lips. All six of them were gathered at the yard table they had managed to fit in the small dining room. Chenle was sleepily shoving spoonfuls of cheerios into his puffy cheeks while Sicheng bit into the apple in one of his hands, the other held a book, his eyes ran across the paper with chinese characters neatly printed on it.

“I did cast it! It’s not my fault you put the person least capable of spells in charge of casting a resistant spell for spirits!” Yukhei protested loudly and muffled, pieces of his toast in his cheeks. Kun was heard letting out a tired sigh from the end of the table as Ten and Yukhei had continued to argue back and forth obnoxiously. Renjun was seated beside Kun, staring aimlessly at the paper plate of food in front of him. His mind still fogged. Kun ignored the bickering of his other two brothers and turned his attention to Renjun. The oldest’s eyes traced his younger brother’s drained features until they went past the light stripes of an ugly yellow decorating the skin of his neck. Kun felt something settle uncomfortably in his stomach and all he wanted to do was get rid of all the spirits in the world. But soon, Kun got a hold of himself and his eyes softened into a worried swim as he reached to the other boy, his hand landed gently on his back.

“You know you don’t have to go to school today if you don’t want to, okay?” Kun spoke tenderly in a lowered voice just so Renjun could hear. The smaller bo was unresponsive for a couple of seconds before his blinked his baggy and tired eyes. He swallowed the dryness of his throat before turning slowly to his older brother, trying to muster the most convincing smile he could.

“It’s fine Kun, I’ll go.” Renjun rasped and Kun only frowned.There was a suddenly slamming sound that successfully brought the entire table into silence as well as making Renjun jump in the lawn chair he sat. His eyes were wide just as he lifted them from his plate to his left to see Sicheng’s book closed shut on the plastic surface of the yard table, his palms spread out on top of it. In his other was the apple that was only half bitten, he then slowly brought it to ihs lips before he took a big bite. Yukhei and Ten had long stopped bicering and watched the scene play out as Chenle peered past his spoon of milk and cheerios, Kun had careful eyes on Sicheng who stared ahead at nothing and only munched on the apple silently, his eyes void of any emotion. After a few seconds of the sound of his munches ran through the chillingly silent table Sicheng turned his sharp and cold gaze towards Renjun.

The wide eyed boy felt his heart leap into his throat just as Sicheng piercing eyes met his. Sicheng held the younger in the cages of his eyes for what seemed like forever, occasionally bringing up the apple to his lips for another bite, Kun still observing the two as well as the rest of the table. Just how sudden Sicheng had placed his book on the table and slammed it shut the chinese boy let Renjun’s gaze go just as he had finished his apple. He then abruptly stood up from his chair and left the table slowly

Renjun’ eyes following his back as it disappeared in the past a corner and down the hall to their bed rooms. The frozen silence Sicheng had set on the table was broken by Kun’s low heartfelt chuckle, Renjun turned to him with a confused frown as did Ten and Yukhei. Ten was gripping onto Yukhei's collar and Yukhei was gripping equally as tight onto his as they both stared at the oldest brother chuckle faintly, his wide smile making it’s clamming appearance.

“Looks like Sicheng is worried about you,” Kun sighed happily, a soft smile beautifully gracing his lips even more gleaming than before, Renjun’s frown deepened but before he could voice his own confusion Ten beat him to it.

“Worried? That’s him being worried?” Ten questioned with his voice up an octave in disbelief, Kun only smiled wider, reaching over for his glass of orange juice.

“If that’s him being worried then I’d rather not.” Yukhei muttered under his breath and let go of his grip on Ten’s shirt, the thai boy only hummed in agreement and did the same, letting his hands fall on his lap.

“I swear to god, I’ll never get used to living with you people,” Ten huffed, turning in his seat to face his own plate of food. Kun’s eyes turned into crescents to his wide smile as Ten sighed and Yukhei mirrored his movements, going to his own food. Renjun had to agree with Ten, the only thing Renjun couldn’t find himself getting used to was living under the same roof with 5 different witches.


	2. rule #2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this one has probably even more mistakes then the last chapter but i wanna post it so

Huang Renjun, 18 years old, living with his 5 other brothers that weren’t really related to him by blood. It was what they were labeled as for being under the same branch of wiccan. They all shared a common ancestor, which made them brothers. They were all born humans and soon awakened their gifts at their appropriate scheduled times. Once their gifts were up for full use the assembly had to compromise and convince them all to leave their families behind. It had to be that way, otherwise danger would’ve been brought upon them. After many near losses between all 6 of them, they had decided it was for the best to leave their respective families behind. The assembly then organized the ceremony of their coming of age as well as the erasing of their families’ memories. It was how their world worked, wiccans had made an agreement along with the rest of the ethereal beings to serve the universe by keeping it from collapsing as it almost did many times.

Which meant recruiting humans of wiccan blood descent into awakening. The wiccans from the same branch were placed together as relatives to their respective age and their purpose was to make sure there was balance in where ever they lived. While doing so they must never get caught by ordinary humans, and if that were to happen, relocation was called upon. But other than putting the wiccans under their rightful branches the assembly didn’t meddle in any of their affairs unless they got out of hand. Renjun was part of the Qian Wiccan, which were known for being troublesome amongst others due their many conflicting gifts and personalities as well as almost constant need of relocation.

Renjun remembers being the first to be recruited under the Qian branch with the only other person being Kun. Ten came shortly after then Chenle and Yukhei. All in a span on a year or two. Sicheng was the last to join their branch. Dong Sicheng, the one that the 5 rest of them barely knew anything about, despite the fact them living together for almost 3 years now. Dong Sicheng was still as silent as ever. Sicheng was the only other person in his branch, besides Kun, that Renjun didn’t have a clue on what his gift was.

Renjun was left to wonder of the other and what their gifts might’ve been. While he himself had been hearing the screams and cries of the dead since his power had awakened at the age of elven, at first he had a hard time ignoring the bloodied and sorrow filled moans and pleas but he soon got used to it. It was better to ignore them, to act as if he was normal. It had happened once, when he was younger, 13, where he heard a scream so piercing and dirty it made his skin crawl and his heart sink, he had no choice but to acknowledge it.

The spirit had experienced a horrible death, it was a man in his mid 30’s. Renjun was walking home one day past a crowd. The crowd were whispering to themselves as they peered down. Through the shoulders and bodies, Renjun got a glimpse of the chaos. There was police tape blocking his view but there was an ambulance that was parked in front of an establishment  and there were detectives discussing something off to the side with dread shadowing their faces. It had been a homicide. The thought hadn’t even been registered before a shiver had already made it’s way up 13 year old Renjun’s spine. It was faint at first, the sobs, but they had become louder. They were close too, Renjun was feeling cold. He stood frozen in at the crossing, his knuckles white as he gripped his backpack strap closely, his eyes piercing to the cement road. He chanted in his mind fearfully to keep his eyes to the ground. _“Don’t look. Don’t look. If you don’t look, it’s not there.”_

Despite that, he was unable to move as the screams got louder and he got colder. It felt as if someone was breathing fretfully down his neck, letting another raspy and layered scream. Rule number one was to never turn around when a spirit came this close, that meant you acknowledged them. Some spirits couldn’t handle that, the acknowledgement. They would go crazy and try to get to talk to you more, some even managed to possess the people who could see. It all depended of the spirit and how strong the person was in terms of control. The spirits could get so loud it almost made Renjun wanted to throw up and or faint. It had happened a couple of times in the past, the fainting and the food that was once in his stomach displayed out in front of him or on him, but the spirits weren’t aware they were the cause as they watched, they can only possess when they’re aware, otherwise they simply think you’re normal.

That time though, 13 year old Renjun had broken his rule, he turned around. There stood a tall and looming man his aura was black with anger and hatred, his eyes hollow and mouth ajar as he rumbled deeply and loud. Renjun wanted to throw up, the whispers and screams were loud and invaded every space in his mind. The man, other than his face, looked normal. The screaming man shut his mouth robotically in a fast movement the minute he realized Renjun’s eyes had been on him. His eyeless face turned down to him, until he was silent and an ugly grin spread on his bloody lips.

That spirit haunted Renjun for days until Kun realized his odd demeanor and figured it out. Soon enough he had gathered all of their brothers and preformed another spell, one to cast away a restless spirit. Renjun had finally felt peace. Renjun learned, from the sleepless nights. He learned from waking up with dry blood crusting the inside of his ears. He learned the difference between cries.

 

+

 

_Rule number 2: no one is allowed to know_

 

Constant moving was nothing new to the six young witches. Often times, after they had performed a spell to erase certain individuals memories, they would have to leave the district in fear of rekindling the memory in which they had buried. To hide their identity. That was the only time they would ever perform such a spell on anyone. It was usually easy to erase a single person’s mind but sometimes, like then, they had a whole crowd. Qian Kun, the oldest of the six, had reminded himself to never let his 2nd youngest brother, Zhong Chenle, get his grabby hands on alcoholic beverages ever again after the incident that ultimately led them to flea once more.

The reckless witch had committed the grave mistake of stealing whiskey and distributing it to his group of friends one late night underneath the busy city bridge where they usually hung out. With the buzz of incoherency there was once a single Chenle underneath the noisy bridge until there were twelve, all just as drunk as the other. All these shitfaced duplicates of the chinese boy had successfully scared the living shit out of his previously snickering friends into a panic frenzy, leading three to faint from shock and the other three to run off in fear.

If it hadn’t been for their brother, Huang Renjun, and the help of an old woman’s spirit who had lost her life drowning in the neighboring river, Renjun would’ve never have found the twelve Chenle’s sprawled and dozed off on the crates and boxes at 5 in the morning on his way to work. Renjun, being reserved and socially incompetent, intimidated most, leaving him without many friends or people who cared to see past his facade and get to know him for himself. The only people that weren’t afraid to approach him were the dead. While as a witch, Chenle’s ability was Cloning, or Duplication, Renjun possessed the gift of being able to communicate with the dead. The dead weren’t afraid of anything, especially a mere witch with sharp eyes and a rather small build.

That early morning, the old woman’s spirit had been calling out for anyone that could hear once she had ran across the multiple dreaming Chenle’s. Renjun had heard the cries of the spirit as he had rode his bike to cross the bridge into the city for his part time job at a bakery. The spirit of the old woman had been nowhere near angry or vengeful. She wasn’t delusional either, Renjun had encountered spirits that thought they were still alive and continuously followed him asking why no one could see them, they seeked his help so pathetically that it made something remorseful pool in his stomach because Renjun knew he couldn’t do a thing. He wasn't a reaper who could escort them to the afterlife, just a mere witch.

The only hard part of bringing Chenle home was finding the real one. Chenle was a heavy sleeper so Renjun didn’t really have the option of simply waking him up and having him retract the rest of the Chenles. All Renjun needed to do was find the real Chenle and take him home. The rest of them would disappear once the real one was conscious and could take them back. None of the duplicates had a mind of their own, they either mirrored the real Chenle or took orders from him, there was never an inbetween. Though the duplicates felt real, looked real and even their mannerism were realistic, the only thing they didn’t have was blood and organs. They were hollow flesh. Once stabbed they didn’t bleed nor felt pain. They had no other senses besides eyesight and hearing. But of course, Renjun hadn’t gone around that early morning under the bridge stabbing these Chenles, it was too much of a risk.

Although Chenle was a heavy sleeper Renjun nonetheless managed to gather water in one of the empty boxes and splash the freezing water on the crowd. Most stayed soundfully asleep until one reacted to the cold bite of the water that bled through his now soaked clothes and pierced his skin. Renjun had dragged a grumpy Chenle with an ear splitting headache home that day, leaving the three of his friends that had managed to sleep through the ruckus behind. Renjun lost his job but it hadn’t mattered because once they got home Ten was already packing their bags. Renjun had called the home phone on their way back and the second oldest, Ten, had been the one to answer it. Renjun told Ten what had happened and how the situation wasn’t looking too good, the probability of those humans knowing of Chenle’s true identity was high despite the pouting teen having his lips sealed in anger

To those words the second oldest was already to work. Ten had casted a quick shrink spell on everything valuable in the house, shrinking them down to the size of christmas ornaments as he used his telekinetic powers to move multiple objects into a few boxes, wrapping them in newspaper if needed. The objects moved on their own without any physical labor form Ten as he was folding some of his clothes in the foyer with fast hands. Silverware from the kitchen even started just as Ten thought of it, the drawers were yanked open and knives, forks and spoons flew out with fast speed.

In the laundry room one of the folded boxes from their last movings jetted out from behind the washing machine and assembled itself. While old newspapers that were stacked underneath the sink lifted into the air and out from behind the cabinet doors before they wrapped themselves tightly around the patiently floating silverware. This was an ongoing process. Ten’s telekinesis did not need to have him looking at an object for it to move, he had practiced so well and strengthened his powers over the years that just the mere thought of an action set things into motion, which explained why there was loud noises of clothes being yanked off hangers by an invisible source up stairs.

Despite the fact that Ten was doing most of the work with his powers, upstairs in the rackety old home was Wong Yukhei trying to sort out his own clothes after the thai boy had informed him of the current situation. The tall and model like brother really was trying. Yukhei had never been good with spells, he always managed to forget a sentence in the chant or an ingredient if it was required. So when Yukhei and his forgetful self attempted to shrink the dressers in his bedroom you could imagine how it turned out.

And you could surely imagine the ungodly shrieks and yells of frustration that were heard when Ten was met with the sight of deformed furniture and an ostrich making itself at home in Yukhei’s bedroom. Leaving Yukhei to make use of his gift and become transparent as he snuck out of his own room where a fuming Ten still stood looking for him and making dark threats. At times like those Renjun had thought to himself, if there really was a way to get used to living with people like this.

 

+

 

Dong Sicheng was the only other quiet and reserved member of the 6 witches living under the same roof besides Renjun. Upon first meeting the mostly silent male Renjun felt immediately intimidated. The other was the last to join them, there were only a total of 6 offsprings with the Qian wiccan blood running through their veins. Which was the smallest number of members recorded in a single wiccan before, of course, Kun made sure to keep to himself.

While he was the last to become part of the ‘family,’ Kun welcomed him just as warmly. One of the things that Renjun noticed were his eyes. Sicheng’s eyes were practically of ice and were cold at the meeting of them. The times Sicheng spoke, which were rare, his voice was always firm and never wavered. That was the difference between the two, while Renjun had his lips sealed out of his habit induced by fear, Sicheng was naturally wordless. Not to mention Sicheng had close to zero expressions half the time, while most of the time Renjun’s face would be pale as if he’d seen a ghost, which he probably would’ve.

Along with the ice his orbs held, they were spread with these unknown swirls that Renjun could only guess came from hardships. Despite living with them for so long, none of them really knew Sicheng. Renjun was almost certain he had only heard Sicheng speak 3 full sentences his entire life living with the other witches. Even with that, Kun still treated the other like everyone else, never tried to push anything out of Sicheng. Renjun could still remember 6 months after Sicheng’s arrival that Ten was blowing multiple fuses over the matter.

_“He’s been here for so damn long and all we fucking know about him is his first and last name, you tell me what the fuck is wrong with that,” the venom in Ten’s vocals sent a shiver down Renjun’s and he felt himself freeze mid motion while he sat up in his bed._

_It was most likely past midnight then, the sky was dark and cluttered with clouds that blocked out the crescent that hung in the night. Renjun gulped at the sound of a frustrated and heavy sigh that was muffled through the wall his bed was up against. Renjun had woken up to the sound of an argument, half unconscious and recognized that the voice belonged to none other than Ten. Renjun blinked sluggishly now and glanced at the softly snoring Chenle that stirred slightly in his deep sleep before his ears picked up on the rest of the conversation that was currently happening in their living room._

_“He still needs time to adjust-” Kun’s stringed out and tired voice came through just as muffled and Ten was responding with the sharp click of his tongue._

_“Why are you so hell bent of defending this mute guy’s ass?” Ten scoffed, his words coming out sharper than the edge of a sword. Renjun slowly bunched up the fabric of his blanket at his lap as he continued to listen in, now intentionally. There was a few seconds of thoughtful silence before Ten then muttered, “You don’t even know him yourself.”_

_“That’s why,” Kun suddenly voiced, his vocals now firmer. Renjun frowned at the unrecognizable keenness of it. “That’s exactly why. We don’t know him. We don’t know anything about him Ten, we don’t know what happened to him. We know nothing.” There was another wave of a thicker wordless atmosphere before Kun talked once more, but this time his words felt stone heavy. “So if you’re through with this temper tantrum please remind yourself do them elsewhere. Somewhere Sicheng is sure not to hear you. Your selfish and unnecessary blown fuses are one of the last things I want him to witness.” There was another moment of silence, but this one was dragged out. Ten was most likely left speechless because Renjun couldn’t catch the sound of his voice. Only the thundering of hard footsteps stomping to the entrance and loud sounds of the front door being yanked open and then being slammed shut._

_Renjun’s frown deepened and he scooted to and off the edge of his bed. His feet planted themselves on the coldness of the tiled floor as he hastily made his way forward to his door in the dark. It took him seconds before he reached his door, he lifted his arm sluggishly from his side and turned the knob. He opened it in rather a slow pull before sticking his head out once there was a decently sized crack. Renjun let his squinted eyes take their time as they  looked down one side of the hall to his right that had a corner leading to the living room before he looked to his left and felt the color leave his face._

_The expression on Renjun’s face then was equivalent to when he would spot a spirit. But instead of having his eyes set on one of the dead at the end of that hall it was none other than Dong Sicheng. Who paid not a single mind to him, leaning against the wall, expressionless as usual with a book tightly gripped at his chest. Despite there being no emotions displayed on his features, Renjun could tell through the dimness of the hall the white color his knuckles turned as he held onto his book._

Renjun wasn’t sure how much of Ten and Kun’s conversation Sicheng was there to hear, or if even he had heard as much or less than Sicheng did. All Renjun knew was that had been one of the only times he could  make a good guess on what went through the other’s mind, with his knuckles white and his fist clenched.


	3. rule #3

Renjun felt his heart leap into his throat just as Mr. Seo cheerful informed the numerous students in their desk with bored eyes about the new student. Mr. Seo spoke at a high volume for the kids even in the back to hear, he was nicely fitted in  button up, a tie and some slacks, his sleeves rolled up exposed his forearms. He was introducing the nervous wreck of a witch who hung his head low beside him, Renjun being that new student. The other teens only lazily glanced at him as he stood stiffly next to Mr. Seo at in front of the black board. The young witches’ blood was running cold in his veins with stings of poisonous anxiety that made him want to get eaten by the ground. But he must’ve been hiding his crippling nervousness because Mr. Seo proceeded with his rather lengthy introduction laced in enthusiasm.

Huang Renjun had entered the class with his head hung low and even flinched when Mr. Seo had given him a friendly pat on the back, to which the teacher apologized for profusely. Although now, Mr. Seo was wrapping up his corny joke filled introduction as the new semester’s homeroom teacher and Renjun as a new student to Na Academy. It was when Mr. Seo had verbally directed him to his seat that Renjun was forced to look up. Renjun thought his heart would catapult to the back of his throat to all eyes on him but he was slightly relieved to see there weren’t any of them on him specifically. Something that strained his stiff shoulders began to melt and Renjun let himself freely scan the students, hesitantly of course, but with less stiffness.

The young witch noticed in the neatly rowed crowd of occupied desks there were two empty. One was to the right of the class room, only a desk away from the window that led to outside and the other in the far left corner near to the exit of classroom. There were two doors in that class room, one by the black board and the other in the back where the cubbies were planted. Before Renjun could wondering any further Mr. Seo lifted the arm at his side and pointed at an empty seat beside a tan male student staring off and out the window.

“You can take a seat next to Donghyuck over there.” Mr. Seo spoke, an obvious smile spread on his gummy face despite Renjun not having to glance at it to know. The witch gave a wordless nod and tightened his grip on the strap of his backpack that hung at his shoulder. Renjun stepped forward and proceeded to walk through the thin isles between the desks. Barely a handful of student glanced him, two of them did to be exact. One had untamed dark hair, high cheek bones and with a pair of glasses on the bridge of his nose, but his gaze went from Renjun’s chest and was then quick to shy away.

The other boy that had spared Renjun a look had brightly colored orange hair, his eyes sunk in his face but were still sharp. Everything else about him seemed mellow and rather cute, except for his eyes and the fact that his wide shoulders gave off the feeling he had a rather tall stature. Renjun was surprised he hadn’t noticed the other’s hair when he let his eyes run over the class, though he noticed the other teenage boy wore a dark hoodie underneath the school uniform blazer.

Despite that the witch ignored the gaze that lingered on him sharply and made his heart tremble in fear as he made it to his seat.  Mr. Seo began his lesson gleefully, oblivious to the thickness the orange haired boy held in his eyes towards Renjun who hung his head the minute he sat in the wooden chair. Those eyes trained at what hung from Renjun’s neck for the longest time until it seemed like he got bored, but the witch was too busy not trying to implode on himself due to the anxiety that choked him to notice what those two pair of eyes had in common.

Renjun had hoped from the bottom of his uneasy heart that he would be able to get through this semester. The young witch swallowed dryly and brought the hand resting on his lap to reach for the pendant that hung silently at his neck. He bunched it up in his palm and tried to balance his breathe as well as his heart. It was fine, it was just high school. The worst that could happen to Renjun in this place was him failing a class, right?

  


+

  


The first day of school was supposed be to exciting and full of exploring new conquests. Meeting new people and making new friends, it was all part of highschool. Having been homeschooled till his sophomore year, Renjun wasn’t too familiar with the system of an actual physical school and not one through a screen. But one thing the young witch was most sure of was that the appearance of a person in a bright pink bunny costume running the halls of the school while yelling at the top of their lungs was not something you see at your average high school.

Not that Huang Renjun would know specifically what there was to witness but the fact that no one seemed to even notice the harsh and loud stomps of the bunny costume’s large fabric shoes past Mr. Seo’s lecture was what made his stomach sink. The young witch was seated at his rightful desk, now frantically scribbling on the notebook in front of him as he tried to block out the muffled voice that emerged from the bunny costume. If Renjun were even dare to peek up and glance to his right he would most likely spot the bunny waddling around through the windows that were cut out in the walls that separated their classroom and the long hall.

“You fucking-” The edged voice yelled in utter frustration. It’s fluffy stature made it past Renjun’s classroom another time and the witch bit at his lip as he tried to concentrate on Mr. Seo’s baritone voice reading out the class expectations for that year at the front. Some time went by and Renjun had guessed Mr. Seo had said something humorous because the class let out a small chorus of a laughter.

Although, the young witches’ eyes were nowhere near Mr. Seo, to which the teacher noticed silently with a slight innocent concern but continued on with the lecture. Renjun practically had his head hung,again. The last thing he wanted to do is have that wild spirit coming into his very classroom and make sudden eye contact with it. That would be breaking the first rule, acknowledgment.

The young witch felt his stomach turn once more just as the voice he recognized to be from the bunny cursed out. Renjun tried to calm his thundering heart and fast running blood. Mr. Seo’s eyes lingered on him as Renjun started to play with the fabric of his pants underneath his desk. Everyone else had paid no mind to the what Renjun considered an obvious ruckus.

“I swear to fucking god!” The bunny costume spirit’s voice rumbled as it made yet another round in the hall. This little brawl between the mysterious pink bunny and some other ethereal being had started about 15 minutes ago in the middle of Rejnun’s lesson. The witch had taken one glance and saw the sut but quickly looked away when he realized it was something only he could see. He never got a glimpse of the other spirit. He had never dealt with spirits like these, that’s what he had to assume then, that these were obnoxious spirits. The young witch lifted the fiddling hand from the his lap and brought it up to the protective pendant that hung from his neck. It started to become a habit of his. Renjun squeezed his eyes shut just as the bunny stomped past his class room once more.

“As a reaper are you even allowed to say that?” A different voice called, almost mockingly. An irritated groan from the furry costume followed suit. Renjun frowned at the word ‘reaper’ before swallowing dryly. _A reaper? In a bunny costume? What the hell are they?_ He thought to himself as he tried to calm his nerves that had been going haywire for the past 20 minutes. The young witch tried to gather all the courage he could as his thumb rubbed harshly over the quarter sized plain silver pendant. All he needed was to cast an incantation. That was all, and the spirits would be gone. While Renjun was far better at casting than Yukhei, he lacked confidence. Chenle wasn’t even in his class so he wouldn’t be of help. Not that he would even help Renjun if he was there anyway.

The brothers had gone their separate ways at the office, to which Renjun was anxiously cursing in his mind at that time. Despite having lived with Chenle a total of 3 long years, the younger witch never took interest in Renjun. Not even to be friends, much less brothers, but renjun knew that feeling. The feeling of wanting to resist this dumb wiccan life. This fate, destiny, whatever excuses the assembly had shoved down their throats, so he wasn’t especially hurt when Chenle didn’t greet him, or when he hadn’t even, in the slightest, looked concerned to Renjun’s near death experience at the breakfast table before school. He was like that, bratty, to the entire Qian branch. Although, Kun was sometimes an exception, but then again those times were rare.

Renjun let out a shaky breath and opened his eyes just as another rain of curses left the bunny’s furry as it took another stroll around the hall, still after the other spirit. The young witch held his pendant and his mind ran circles. His mind continued to do so for what felt like another 15 minutes until the witch noticed something. Renjun wet his lips and listened in now just as the bickering voices became muffled and soon were gone. He suddenly felt his tense shoulders give out and he slouched in his seat, his ears tuned back into Mr. Seo’s speech, now being able to listen to him peacefully.

“I’m not gonna bore you with this all morning,” Mr.Seo chuckled, a warm smile lifting at the corner of his lips. He paused briefly to check the time on his wrist watch before carrying on with his sentence, “I have to head back in a few anyway. But I’m your homeroom teacher after all, so don’t be afraid to stop by to ask questions!” The students then joined into a weak chorus in response but Mr. Seo’s smile didn’t waver a bit.

He gathered his papers from the pedestal and scanned the class, his eyes suddenly met Renjun’s. The young witch felt himself stiffen and he shifted his eyesight, holding on tighter to the pendant. Mr.Seo’s lingered over the necklace Renjun held so dearly while the class seemed to begin their mindless chatter despite the teacher still being present. Mr. Seo sighed, more so to himself than anyone, before setting on his usual smile and giving his students his final goodbye.

 

+

 

_Rule number 3: don’t answer questions_

 

“What’s that thing?” a voice asked from beside Renjun. The witch frowned and turned to his right to find the other student at their respective desk eyeing him up and down. _Was it Donghyuck? Was that his name?_ Renjun tried to remember while Donghyuck’s almond eyes landed at the other’s neck. Renjun felt his throat close up when he realized where the eyes had trained themselves just as the chatter of students resumed.

They had just gotten done with math, which was 3rd period, it was passing time so the teachers were going back to the office to get papers while exchanging classes. Leaving the student to do whatever for about 7 minutes, if Renjun hadn’t been so deeply invested in his notes he would’ve noticed how different students from nearby classrooms stopped by during this time. Or how kids from his own classroom put their asses into gear to go to their other friends in neighboring classes. Renjun was involuntarily good at ignoring the living, he couldn’t say the same for the dead of course.

The young witch hadn’t seen the bunny nor heard the voice of the spirit it was after. This really let him relax a little more. He wanted to tell himself that those had just been images his mind had made up due to first day nerves but that excuse was far too old for someone like him to fall for. Especially when these ‘figments of his imaginations’ were always far from. Although, as of now, Renjun wasn’t dealing with any spirits, but a human. A seemingly determined human.

“I-” Renjun began but couldn’t bring himself to finish. The witch swallowed as his seatmate never his eyes fall off him nor the pendant he cradled to his chest, to say the other intimidated Renjun was an understatement.

Donghyuck then huffed and leaned back into his chair, his eyes still very much on Renjun, the sun peeked past the curtains of the window where the quiet strong headed student was. The light made his tan skin glow even more so, leaving it with a breathtaking look. With his brown curls neatly tamed on the top of his head. Renjun wouldn’t be surprised if many people envied the boy for his looks, he was undeniably gorgeous. This made Renjun even more uneasy.

The witch looked down at the pendant hanging from his neck and let his eyes train themselves on the beautiful engraved patterns on the metal. To the human eyes it looked like a simple quarter sized necklace that was purely plain silver, just a smooth finish. But in reality, both sides of the pendant had patterns on them, they were wiccan patterns of the Qian branch, and behind those swirls in the metal were several incantations.

All to keep spirits away, which was why Renjun had panicked at the mere sight of that damn rabbit and the sound of the other spirit it spoke to. Renjun didn’t know what else to refer to them other than spirits. Although the one he only recognized by voice had mentioned ‘reaper.’ Renjun had never met a reaper, but then again he never met many people in general. Less normal people than ethereal ones in all honesty.

Although, Renjun tried to find comfort in telling himself that the incantations for spirits would get rid of them. The young witch didn’t know exactly how the pendant worked with the resist incantation. Whether it had a specific range for the spirit to be in for it to react and go into action or not. All Renjun knew was that if a spirit dared to go near him they would disappear. Kun had enchanted it just for him when going out in public. Kun knew he wouldn't be able to be to cast anything on a spirit if Renjun was in trouble so this was the second best choice.

“I’ve seen you fiddling with it all day,” Donghyuck mumbled at Renjun’s prolonged silence and the witch felt himself get a little red in embarrassment. There was another silence between the two for only a few seconds and Renjun was beginning to feel anxious. Was he being rude for not answering? He couldn’t. It was already too late, the other had already noticed the necklace. Renjun frowned and scolded himself silently. If time were to come where they needed to move again then that would be a problem. Human brains were complex, while their incantations made them forget people, items were much harder to find in their minds as well as to erase or bury. The witch bit at his bottom lip just as his leg began to bounce.

“I mean,” The other began to speak once more just as the next teacher walked in and students scampered back to their seats. Renjun held his breath to the other’s words. “The designs-”  The other wasn’t able to finish off his sentence because the teacher, who introduced themselves as Mr. Moon, had just begun with the lesson. Renjun’s bouncing leg had come a halt the nervous and the witch felt his heart freeze. The ‘designs,’ he could see them. Donghyuck could.

 

+

 

Renjun tried desperately not to glance at his seatmate the entirety of that day. An ugly uneasy feeling had settled in the pit of his stomach the minute Donghyuck mentioned his pendant. Let alone the ‘designs’ on the metal. What _was_ Donghyuck? At first glance he looked just like any human. But then again so did Renjun, and he saw the dead for a living.

Renjun couldn’t help but anxiously worry about the countless things in the back of his mind as he tried to block out the expression of distress that was surely forming on his features. Mr. Moon had gone on with his lecture about science. The class went smoothly just like the last 2 had, no interruptions from the bunny, which Renjun was thankful for. He made a mental note to tell Kun about the ‘reaper’ or ‘spirit’ or whatever it was when he got home. There so much running in the walls of his mind that first day, Renjun was sure it couldn’t have gotten any worse. Renjun was sure, so very sure it couldn’t have gotten anymore stressful. He was already at his limit that day. Anxiety was thick in his veins.

Despite being on the edge of several mental breakdowns Renjun had surprisingly made it to the end of the day. Mrs. Lee was the last of their teachers that day, she taught history which felt like it flew by pretty fast. Donghyuck hadn’t tried talking to Renjun since the mention of his pendant. Not even during lunch, where Renjun had stayed seated at his desk and silently munched on the lunch box Kun had prepared for him that morning. The witch was even a nervous wreck then, he had even gone as far as to tuck his pendant into his shirt so it wasn’t visible, which was what he should’ve done in the beginning.

Even with more passing times, Donghyuck was too busy scribbling away at his notebook. The orange haired boy had also kept his distant and never really tried to confront Renjun, as did the boy with darkly rimmed glasses. Renjun had cursed at himself in his head for the attention he attracted, all because of that stupid pendant. But of course, that day couldn’t get worse. From a wild spirit like that bunny running the halls to the unwanted attention from supposed humans due to his pendant.

Renjun sighed to himself and managed to get so caught up in his notes that he hadn't heard the curious and almost loud whispers that spread through the socializing students, as it was passing time for the teachers. Renjun was far too busy trying to rid himself of his overthought scenarios by rereading his notes until he would get sick of words to notice a decently tall and lean teenage boy had just entered the classroom through what was supposed to be the exit. This same charismatic boy had also taken a seat just as the other students spoke quietly of his unusual presence.

Even the students who didn’t mingle during this time and sat at their desks had glanced up from their work to get a look at the other. While they were curious about the appearance of the other teen the witch was still thinking about what Donghyuck had mentioned. This pushed him to making the mistake of giving into his anxious curiosity. So he peeked at Donghyuck from beside him only to see the honey of the other’s eyes giving a dull and brief glance over Renjun’s head to the back. The witch frowned and then made another mistake of turning in his seat to see what Donghyuck was almost boredly peeking at.

It was the only other seat that was empty when Renjun first entered the classroom. Expect, when Renjun glanced at it this time the seat wasn’t unoccupied. Instead, there was a teenage boy lounging in the seat. He was leaning back on the wood with his feet propped up on his desk. His hair was brightly colored a bubblegum pink, his arms were folded behind his head. The teen boy’s eyes were shut and his uniform was rather messy.

Unlike Renjun, who had buttoned everything that was supposed to buttoned and wore the blazer accompanied with the dress shirt neatly and in it's proper way, the other was just the opposite. The bubblegum headed boy wore his dress shirt without the tie and it's first few button loose, there was no blazer with him as he made himself as comfortable as he could in the seat. With his eyes still peacefully shut and his face expressionless, he relaxed. Although there was a faint stressful crease in between his eyebrows.

Renjun unconsciously scanned the other’s nonchalant demeanor and noticed something unusual wrapped around his wrist. It was a bracelet that danced around the other’s arm reaching his forearm almost. It was hard for the witch to get a good look at the thing the hung from there. Although it was obvious that the bracelet was threads of pink and what hung from those threads that were tightly around the wrist made Renjun’s heart leap in uncertainty. There were charms on the bracelet and one was a bright orange carrot.


	4. rule #4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this probably has mistakes too but thanks for the feedback so far! im glad it isn't as much of a mess as i see it as. Also! feel free to comment some of your thoughts! i love hearing what you guys think :3

 

When Renjun and Chenle got home they were met with the sight of a crouching Kun breaking a sweat as he tried to dismantle the shattered display case glass at the front of what was supposed to be the abandoned little shop underneath their apartment. It took only a few minutes for the laboring older witch to realize he was being watched with a mildly surprised look from one of the two. Chenle was the one to scoff with disinterest before making it past Renjun and up the stairs built alongside the shop up to their apartment. Kun only gleefully smiled at his remaining younger brother once he caught sight of him through the dirty and broken glass.

Renjun had met Chenle at the end of the day so they could walk home together. Renjun had barely made it too, Chenle had informed him with annoyance that he hadn’t been planning to wait more than 30 seconds and that he was lucky. They had a short conversation there, at the nearly empty entrance of the school that was irrelevant now. Despite how alarmed Chenle’s nonchalant and rather ignorant comment had made him.

_“Maybe I should out us again, this school is so stuffy and boring….. Besides, what’s wrong with the world knowing what we are? Since when has being a witch been a crime, hm?”_

Renjun shook his head slightly and tried not to think about it too much, it would only fuel his anxiety from the chaotic first day. It was a good thing Chenle had disappeared behind their front door the minute they got home. The Qian witches had moved into a rather large upstairs apartment in korea. Leaving them with a trashed up and obviously deserted shop underneath, to which, Renjun could tell, Kun was trying to renew. The eldest witch wiped the sweat from his face and in the process smeared some smudge across the bridge of his nose. He had thick garden gloves on as he stood up from the crouching position he was a in. He had been trying to find out a way to take out the remaining glass without having to break it out.

“I’m thinking about opening a cafe down here,” Kun replied warmly to Renjun’s questioning expression as he opened the front door of the establishment. He let the young witch stare at the lonesomeness of it. The inside was far worse than expected, the floorboards were torn and cracked, some even missing. There was even this uncomfortable tangy smell mixed with gasoline that hung in the dark and dirted walls. The entire place was barren, nothing but the fungus and mold growing from the wooden floorboards laying around. Renjun frowned to himself and turned to his brother who had just started rummaging through his tool box. Kun wore a white tee with a bandana wrapped around his neck, probably to pull up when had he aired out the place. It was also ccompanied with a pair of old and now dirted jeans from being on his knees for so long.

“Why don’t you just,” Renjun started mindlessly as he looked around some more, leaning down a little to get a better look through the floorboards to the eerie darkness underneath. The witch felt a shiver run up his spine despite wandering a bit further into the pitiful residence.

“Cast something?” Kun chuckled and Renjun halted in his curious step before turning to the other witch who was now staring off into one of the sickening walls and dirt, rust and mold. The younger witch reddened and coughed a little before nearing his brother who was crouching again by his tool box.

Kun had a faint smile on his lips as his eyes began to travel the rather disgusting view of the shop and his smile only widened when his eyes landed on Renjun beside him. The younger witch waited for Kun to speak again but the eldest brother couldn’t because another voice emerged from the shattered display case and through the establishment.

“Exactly Kun. Just cast something.” Ten was heard huffing. Renjun’s eyes darted from the warmth in Kun’s stare to the entrance just as his other brother entered loudly due to the screeching of the wooden door, Renjun flinched to the sound. It hadn’t done that for him. “I honestly don’t know why you’re going through this unnecessary labor.” Ten was finally all the way into the establishment, his arms crossed around his chest and his nose scrunched to the stomach turning smell.

While he was in the shop his feet stopped him at the entrance, his back keeping the door open. Kun chuckled as a reply, his smile not seeming any less genuine. The eldest brother grunted with his grin still in tact as he lifted himself off his legs and stretched a little. Both Ten’s and Renjun’s eyes following his movements.

“Now, where’s the fun in that?” Kun groaned, still grinning foolishly from ear to ear as he stretched his arms upwards and shut his eyes, trying to have his spine crack. The eldest witch and his smile never wavered as he let out a satisfied sigh and swung his arms down. Renjun thought for a minute and Ten only replied with a snort.

“While you’re there, working on a lost case, I’ll be the one earning money for this damned family,” Ten remarked and Kun’s eyes immediately shot up with a bright gleam in the their brown as they watched Ten’s forcibly cold demeanor.

“You got the job?” Kun beamed radiantly, Ten rolled his eyes but they held no sharpness before he nodded. His arms still crossed tightly around his chest. The eldest witch audibly let out a relieved sigh and Renjun watched as he tipped his head back and only smiled wider. Ten also so had his eyes on the other. There was a moment of silence before Kun’s eyes met Ten’s stransfixed gaze and something melted in them.

Renjun didn’t know exactly happened but it was just then that Ten straightened his back and was turning to leave. A comment along the lines of him refusing to help even if Kun were to beg passed Ten’s lips in a mutter as he left. Kun only gave Ten’s back a thin smile in return and watched his brother’s said  back disappear behind the corner. It was only moments after Ten left that Kun had returned to his previous position and began to search through his tool box, Renjun then decided to speak up again.

“T-This is fun for you?” Renjun stammered to the uncertainty in his question. Kun stopped rummaging in his tool box for a moment and they both fell silent. It took Renjun only a couple seconds to begin to panic just as he wondered if he had said something wrong. It was then, in the mist of Renjun worried frown and unseen fog of that putrid smell in the shop that Kun bursted into an uncontrollable fit of laughter. The witch’s worried facial creases melted off his features and he was left in awe and wide eyes as he watched his brother hacking up half his lung.

“God no Renjun,” he choked out, his eyes collecting with small tears and the apples of his cheek turning a dim red, “this isn’t fun at all.” Kun replied in between the shortened breathes of his laughter. Renjun was confused again. The younger witch’s brows knitted together and only let his older brother compose himself once more as he himself tried to gather his thoughts.

“Then why?” Renjun was heard muttering past his lips, more to himself than anyone, but Kun could hear past his obnoxiously loud wheezes.

Kun’s rumbling laughter soon died down and he was left with his younger brother’s stare in genuine of curiosity before taking it into consideration. The eldest witch’s smile turned smaller than before but never fell. It was a thing Renjun saw often with him. Something unique to Kun himself. The younger witch had never seen Kun without a smile on his face, even if the wrinkles were faint. Renjun wasn’t sure if that was something to take to be concerned about or not but he had lived 3 years with Kun to know that the only person he’d only really raise his voice at was Ten. And that was because Ten, despite being the second adult, took the crown when it came to being the brattiest in the Qian branch. Chenle’s constant eye rolls and annoying scoffs were no match for the entirety of the thai male.

“Renjun, we were born humans you know.” Kun sighed and reached out for a hammer inside the tool box, a triumphant twinkle in his eyes. Renjun frowned just as he was thrown into a unknown spiral that had questions painting themselves on the inside of his eyelids. The young witch found himself stammering quietly over his words to Kun’s responds.

“H-Humans?’ Renjun managed but Kun didn’t seem like he was going to respectively answer as he stood up and tossed the hammer to the shorter. Renjun stumbled back a little but was still able to safely catch the hammer in his arms, panic written on his face from the sudden hand off. Kun laughed under his fond smile before proceeding to cock his head toward the entrance.

“You should change your clothes first,” Kun mentioned with a quirky smile, then motioning to the other’s neat school uniform. Renjun felt himself turn a faint shade of pink for no reason but didn’t respond and let the other continue, “help out will you? You can tell me all about your day while you pull out the rest of the floorboards.” The eldest witch explained and beamed almost comically at the worry ridden look in his brother’s dark eyes. Renjun sighed, defeated, peering down at the hammer in his hold before finally finding his composure and replying with a silent nod. Of course, Kun only grinned.

The eldest reached out and let his palm find it’s place on top of Renjun’s mop of his hair, his fingers threaded through the dark strands as he ruffled the younger’s scalp. The younger witch could only feebly whine with crimson cheeks and give a weak effort to dodge Kun’s rather brotherly attack on him. Despite it being an attack, Renjun felt this warmth begin to invade his chest and he let himself smile faintly with his fringe now shadowing his eyes and with Kun finally leaving his strands before he shooed him off. Renjun continued to vaguely grin his entire trip skipping up the stairs up to their apartment.

 

+

 

_Rule number 4: don’t get involved when uncertain_

 

The sky wasn’t naked like the day before, Renjun had noticed. He was on his way to school that morning. Alone this time though, he had been left behind by Chenle from the very start. Although it didn’t really bother him that he witnessed Chenle leaving their apartment to catch up with a small groups of boys, with identical uniforms to Chenle’s, who were passing by. All heading to the same place. His brother seemed really friendly with the group of chattering teenagers, Renjun had been getting ready and adjusting his tie when he proceeded to look through their bedroom window to see the scene. Chenle had always been good with people so he wasn’t surprised that he had already made friends. It was just something about the smile that grew on Chenle’s face as he teasingly hung off one of the boy’s shoulders that made an odd emotion cling onto Renjun. He couldn’t quite pinpoint it either, whether it was envy or not. He didn’t dwell on it for too long though, or at least tried not to when he began his own trip to school on foot.

And there he was now, at the wide metal gate entrance with two threads of decently tall brick walls stemming from both sides. Renjun had stopped in his footsteps at that very entrance of the school unlike the other students that passed by. They were idly chatting around him as well as entering the school themselves. The young witch peered past his dark fringe up to the clouds that hung and fogged up the blue sky. He continued to scan the gray, his bag strap on his shoulder and his uniform still nice and neat. The cold metal of his pendant rubbed at his bare chest since he had tucked it underneath his shirt before leaving his apartment.

Renjun sighed at the feeling of what hung from his neck and mentally reminded himself of his required attendance. This was enough to get his legs on the move again. Following the small sea of mingling students into the school courtyard. The young witch had lowered his gaze to the cement ground, a habit he had when he was out in public, and watched his black shoes take the first few steps forward. Renjun hadn't made it far before he felt the top of his head run into something that promptly blocked his path.

“Sorry-” Renjun exclaimed embarrassingly and felt himself redden when he lifted his head and saw the turn of heads from the corners of his eyes. Although it was when his vision landed on the chest he had run into that Renjun’s heart skyrocketed to his throat and his eyes got bigger in size. A familiar dark hoodie underneath their school uniform’s navy blazer. Feeling choked up now, he had to look _up_ to meet gazes with none other than a certain orange haired teenage boy who was half a head taller.

Now getting a better look at his classmate, the young witch was beginning to feel his stomach turn at the sight of the eyes that bore into him, they held sparks, maybe even flames. The other had a stoic expression but his orbs were what spoke measures. The taller merely peered down at Renjun, the flames that swam in the brown of his eyes almost spelling out how inferior he was in comparison. There was this heavy and thickening silence between the two, the other didn’t look like he was going to steer his sharp eyes away. Renjun being too scared to do that himself and too weak in the knees to put his legs in gear let himself just stand there, frozen.

It took minutes until the other got sick of the dull in Renjun’s dark eyes. The taller scoffed at the glass he saw in the depth of Renjun’s gaze and how the fingers gripping his strap tightened as they trembled around the fabric. Surprisingly enough, the orange haired boy was the first to break eye contact. Instead he clicked his tongue, almost in disappointment, before nonchalantly shoving his fists in the pockets of his jeans. The young witch didn’t let his eyes follow as the other took a step to the side and proceeded to steer away from him, planning to walk past the frozen statue that he had become completely. Before the orange haired boy had left in utter silence Renjun’s ears were able to catch the mutter underneath his breath.

_“Damned witch.”_

 

+

 

“Hey… Kun,” Renjun let out with grunt just as he leaned all his weight down on the end of the hammer’s handle and finally loosened the rotting floorboard beneath him. Dark smudges decorated the surface of the young witch’s face. He had on just as thick garden gloves as Kun did, who was currently gathering the trash scattered deep into the shop where the light from the where the glass was supposed to be didn't shine. The eldest witch glanced at his sweating and out of breath brother who tossed a piece of the dark wood to the side before going back to crack the rest off.

“What? More trouble at school?” Kun chuckled as he leaned down to collect the floorboards Renjun had managed to pop out. The older witch lugged a large and almost full plastic bag over his shoulder to where Renjun was catching his breath. “Honestly, you seem to be getting most of it too,” his brother thought aloud, “a reaper catching spirits in a bunny costume and some human that can see our incantations.” he proceeded to huff, “And Chenle hasn’t said a single word.” Kun ticked his tongue just as he tossed a couple of floorboards into the dragging bag at his side that was getting bigger by the minute.

“That’s because Chenle doesn’t like us,” Renjun responded, wedging the hammer underneath the remaining floorboard before kicking the end of it’s handle deeper. Droplets of sweat soaked the collar of his plain maroon tee and his jeans were beginning to feel stuffy, but Renjun continued on with his task nonetheless.

“You don’t have to put it like that.” Kun muttered with a slight pout, kicking around chips of wood over the cement left behind after the floorboards were gone. The witch tried not to make his smile too obvious as he popped out the rest of the wood. Renjun had been surprised at first to Kun’s slightly immature side, but he was used the tactics his eldest pulled, if anything it made him more endearing. The faint smile at his lips seemed to fall just as he remembered of the question he was about to ask his eldest brother. The familiar uneasy feeling settled on his ribcage at that morning’s encounter and the other’s eyes. Those eyes.

“I-Is it normal for a human…” Renjun stammered but paused to thickly swallow, his eyes nervously running across the wood planks laying around beside him. Kun leaned forward a little as to get a better look at Renjun’s hung head, “to have flames in their eyes.”

“I mean yeah, if you made them angry.” The other witch simply replied just as he lifted the plastic garbage bag from his side over to the front of it so he could tie a tight knot.

“Kun…” Renjun whined lowly. His brother chuckled and gave the knot from the plastic last tug to ensure it's strength. The younger witch glanced at the other but stayed silent.

“Well if you’re speaking of an actual flame then probably not.” Kun answered more truthfully before taking both of his hands and gripping the plastic bag in his hold. He lugged it off the ground swung it over his shoulder with a heavy grunt. The trash inside did have some weight. Renjun looked at the dirty ground with concerned eyes to his brother’s more acceptable response and tried not to have his anxiety eat him. Kun noticed the nervous flick in his brother’s eyes despite having his head hung and opened his mouth again, “Renjun, you don’t have to worry about it too much. While humans with fire in their eyes isn't really mundane, encountering ethereal creatures isn’t surprisingly out of this world either. As long as you don’t get involved with them and what they might or might not do then you’re fine.” He reassured.

Renjun released a small sigh under his breath and let his shoulders sag in tiredness. He had been working on the cafe with Kun since he had gotten home that day. He had been doing all the labor along side Kun for hours considering the sun was setting and they both had a clear view through the broken glass at the entrance. The sky was turning into swirls of red and pink fading into darkness. Renjun glanced at his brother to see him cocking his head toward the entrance and Renjun knew that meant it was time to leave. Renjun gave his brother a relieved smile and left the hammer wedged where it was just as Kun neared the entrance heaving the trash.

Once Renjun got closer to the entrance, more of the sky he could see past the neighboring establishments and apartment buildings in the small town they had settled into. The roads were clear at the sunsetting. The young witch had found himself staring up in awe at the beautiful colors the blended and fell into one another, pinks and bright yellows, dark reds. Even in the corners, it was hard to miss the tinges of firey orange that bled into the sky as the sun dipped it’s heat to hide behind the earth. The orange in the sky almost reminded Renjun flames.

 

+

 

The young witch was running out of rules to follow and his curiosity only grew for more knowledge of ethereal beings the longer he stayed in the small town. He realized that in this palm sized town he wasn’t the only non-human roaming the streets and living the normal human life. Renjun had always known that him and his brothers weren’t the only ethereal beings that lived as humans but to have so many people almost just like him was new.

It was weird but comforting too. His innocent wonder to learn more of people like himself led Renjun to asking his eldest brother permission to take one of the wiccans history books. Back at their old residence, they lived in an actual house with a library too. So the countless books had a rightful place to sit and collect dust but now they were collecting the same dust in boxes that were still packed and shoved in the storage out back. Kun had grinned warmly in response and let renjun have a look through the boxes.

Of course, the younger witch would only read the book at home, it was prohibited to take the book out where it could be exposed to unwanted eyes. Although Kun wasn’t too strict with it, he never nagged Renjun on how he kept the book on his desk alongside his textbooks and notebooks from school. The eldest trusted Renjun to be responsible.

By the time Renjun was diving deeper and deeper into answering his questions about his own kind, a week had already passed. While of course, Renjun was mildly anxious to enter the gates of his school. He stepped through with his bag clutched to his side most of the time in fear of running into the reaper and the spirit as well as the orange haired boy that most certainly wasn’t a human. He also somewhat went with a little bit of ease knowing that Chenle was just down the hall and alongside the pendant the hung to his chest.

Although Renjun’s school life had become quiet normal in a sense, it was a different story with his brothers back at home. The young witch would, more often than not, come home to witness Ten and Yukhei at each other’s throats back in the apartment. Ten throwing words, Renjun would rather not repeat, with a venomous tongue and Yukhei blowing one too many fuses in return. All the while Kun labored away back underneath the ruckus, he still had a longs way to go with the shop. Apparently it was Yukhei’s constant unemployment that had Ten on the edge.

While his job at the nearby salon was going well, Yukhei couldn’t seem to hold a steady job for the life of him. He had already gone through 3 jobs and they had only been there less than a month. Ten, and Renjun quotes, ‘was sick of being the only source of income for this damned family.’ The thai boy was so stressed and frustrated that he even threatened Sicheng for just laying around. To which Sicheng only replied with a dull glare before walking away and back to his room.

Kun had tried to reassure Ten countless times to just give him time and he’d have the cafe up and going. The second oldest didn’t seem totally convinced but he tried to not snap at Kun, surprisingly. Maybe it was this was a weird code they had, but after this week had passed that the air between the two had been lighter. Ten was treating Kun with more respect, his snarky remarks had fizzled into almost harmless teases. Renjun smiled thinking of it, certainly a step in the right direction, despite it had taken 3 years.

While Renjun had a good idea of what Ten, Kun and Yukhei did the entirety of each day. That being, the eldest tirelessly working on the shop, the thai witch taking shifts at the salon and Yukhei job scouting, Renjun wasn’t sure what Sicheng spent his days doing. Even though Yukhei roomed with Sicheng, he was never in the same bedroom, the taller would usually pass out on the couch most nights watching YuGiOh. Sicheng was weird, but then again, when wasn’t he. Renjun tried not to think about it too much.


	5. rule # 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> there might be mistakes! make sure to leave comments on you thoughts! also i used the daoist immortal Han Xiangzi from actual chinese folklore, so im disrespecting anyone by doing so, dont be afraid to let me know! i'll change it to some random name!

As much as the younger tried so deeply not to let his curiosity run his senses, he couldn’t help himself, truthfully. Now that Renjun had more time to worry about his own family, and as with such strength he kept himself still, he thought of how Kun had mentioned Sicheng being worried about him back on the first day of school. It really made him wonder. This only led his train of thought to spiral in different directions. 3 years, 3 long years and none of them knew what Sicheng’s gift was, nothing. Was it a physical gift like Ten’s? Or was something more mental like Renjun’s? No one really knew, or bothered to push it out of him. Renjun had wondered if it was something Kun kept just between the two of them but now that he observed his eldest brother, he also didn’t seem to have a clue. Then it dawned Renjun, suddenly, on a sunday night as he sat pulled up and behind his desk. It was when he let his fingers run and take control of his rational thinking.

There at his piled desk, the wooden build of it was pretty big and had barely fit in their bedroom. Renjun had set it at the end of his bed the day they moved in. Although, at the moment, it was littered with pages and pages from different classes alongside open textbooks. His small and dim desk light lit up the surface while the rest of his room was swallowed in a navy black. The familiar sound of Chenle’s soft puffs were muffled into his pillow as the night peeked through the window that hung between their beds.

The young witch thought deeply before moving as quietly as he could. He pushed back his swivel chair a bit to get space in between him and the drawers that belonged to the desk. He reached forward and pulled one open, careful not to make too much noise. Once the drawer was open, there peered up the book Kun had lended him. Renjun had been surprised at first. The book looked nothing like some sort of relic, if anything it was the opposite. Instead of picturing some rusty and torn apart brown leather wrap like anyone would expect it to be it was a simple and honestly modern looking manga cover. You could imagine how baffled Renjun had been at the first sight of it.

On the cover of said ‘disguised’ relic was an animated, and rather lewdly, drawn woman with quiet a chest that took up most of the cover, her long and vibrant pink hair took up the rest. You could also imagine the deep evident red that crawled up Renjun’s neck and settled on his cheeks at the sight and small teasing chuckle that left Kun’s grin back at the storage. Now, this relic, was in Renjun’s hold. Kun also taught him how to use it. Despite having the cover of a typical manga, once you would flip through the pages there would just be a series of random blank white until the very end. Not a single color of ink of any of the papers. Kun had informed, in detail, how exactly to effectively have the book at his will. To which Renjun caught on pretty quick.

Renjun mindfully took the manga from his drawer. He lifted it to a clearer sight underneath his desk light before gently setting it down the pile of his physic notes. The young witch’s dark eyes lingered over the skin of the book, his mind blank of thought just as Kun had told him. He set his right palm on the cover and remembered the words that Kun had mentioned.

“I ask to find what I seek,” Renjun whispered airly under his tone, there was a stir from Chenle behind him but he ignored it. The young witch let his eyes fall shut as he challenged all his energy into his palm. He took a deep breath before continuing, “Please, I seek for the surname Dong in the province Wenzhou, Zhejiang in China.”  

The young witch felt the cover heat up underneath him and he immediately pulled back in alarm just as the book flipped open. Renjun watched with saucer sized eyes as the pages flipped for what seemed like forever until they landed on a page inked in a single paragraph. Along with the disheartening of the lack of information was a picture of what Renjun recognized as his brother. Despite there being barely any words filling the page, the other’s eyes ran desperately across them nonetheless

_Dong Sicheng appeared at the age 10 in the province of Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China. He was assumed to have been born there, although much is unknown. He was abandoned when young. He shares the surname of the previous owner of the orphanage, called Wenzhou Orphanage, where he grew up at. There is no record of him leaving said orphanage, as well as biological parents. This individual spent the rest of his life at that orphanage until he was found to be part of the Wiccan branch, Qian, at the age of 17. It is also believed through various readings from numerous tellers and the suspicions of some assembly members that he could be related to the Daoist immortal Han Xiangzi._

Renjun found himself frowning down at the last name that the paragraph ended with. _Han Xiangzi?_ Something about the sharply inked letters of that named had Renjun double thinking his next thought. It was more than shocking to have zero to almost none information on his brother Sicheng. The young witch swallowed and then proceeded to shut the book before placing his palm on top of it once more. He let his eyes fall to close as well. Although something unsettling met at his stomach, he tried not to mind and continued to part his lips. In a hushed voice he went on.

“I ask to find what I seek,” Renjun started, his voice shaking unconsciously, “I wish to be informed more of the Daoist immortal Han Xia-”

The abrupt and rather hard knock on his bedroom door almost made Renjun melt out his skin. He sucked in a sharp and heavy breath just as his eyes flew open just, a shiver traveling up his spine underneath the pastel blue hoodie that swallowed him.The blood in his veins had frozen and Chenle made a disgruntled noise into the fabric surrounding him before stirring some more. The young finally released the breath he hadn’t realized he was holding and stood up from his swivel chair to the door. He took those 3 steps to the knob before his hand met the cold metal of it. He turned the knob and was half expecting it to be a sleep disoriented Ten there to check if he was still awake but was more than shocked to see who it actually was.

When Renjun opened the door and let the hallway light bleed in through the crack he was met with the dead eyes that he never thought would see the day of emotion. In them were small sparks of panic. That unsettled Renjun more than the appearance of the other itself. Sicheng, being the taller of the two, peered down at his brother. Renjun was too busy freaking out to be able to decipher the barely visible sparks of emotions in the other’s gaze. Instead, the shorter felt himself gulp at the sudden dryness of his throat as his heart rattled in the confinements of his rib cage that were seemingly closing in by the second. The young witch barely heard the sound of Yukhei’s snores coming from the living room past his own heart drumming.

“You’re being loud,” Sicheng spoke in a monotone voice, it choked Renjun. He had almost forgotten what his voice sounded like. The younger witch must’ve been really loud if it made Sicheng get up and out of bed. Renjun suddenly felt this dark guilt that he was being a burden and his cement emotion only hardened at the other’s words, “Really loud.” There was a small silence between the chill of Sicheng’s voice and the continuous thundering of the other’s heart. The younger witch felt his throat close up but tried to find his voice. It was barely visibly to Renjun but there was a small crease at the Sicheng’s eyebrows, as if he was frowning.

“S-Sorry.” He apologized weakly, a nervous chuckle edging his fragile vocals. Renjun eyes wavered to the pant legs of Sicheng’s gray joggers while he tried to brush off the awkwardness of the situation as well as the dark thoughts that lurked in the depths of his mind. Sicheng’s stone gaze didn’t leave Renjun’s form for awhile as they stood in silence. The other not knowing what to say and Sicheng suddenly being as silent as he normally was.

“Don’t-” Sicheng’s voice cut through, Renjun frowned and peeked up at his brother to see something he’d never witness. It was a decipherable emotion, distress, and the creases of worry evident on his eyebrows as well as at the scrunch of his nose. His eyes weren’t on Renjun, instead they were anything but on him, peering past his head and wandering around, almost nervously. This made Renjun’s tense frame loosen, his heart began to function more smoothly and his throat felt less dry. The other groaned silently but continued his broken sentence, “Stop.. thinking so much- don’t overthink.”  Sicheng better phrased, Renjun was more than taken aback. It took a couple seconds before he became responsive, his lips opened and close in a stammering manner to find words.

“O-Okay,” Renjun managed. There was another round of awkward silence and Sicheng let his usually stiff body shuffle in what Renjun assumed was a nervous tick. All of this was shocking. _What made him like this? So suddenly? What had changed? What happened to the Sicheng he knew of? Who was this Sicheng?_ The older brother stopped in his shuffles and abruptly snapped in his neck up to meet Renjun’s gaze, this startled the other resulting into him jumping back a little to the return of Sicheng’s sharp eyes.

“I told you to stop.” Sicheng lowly, Renjun was frozen for second until he let himself blink rapidly as if to let the words settle in. _How did he-_ “Shut up,” Sicheng almost growled.

“Sicheng? Renjun? What are you guys doing up?” A voice rang from a the end of the hall. Both witches turned their attention to the last door that led to Ten and Kun’s shared bedroom. There, at the door, that was barely cracked open, stood Kun outside of it. His hand on the knob as if he was planning close it behind him. Kun was in his sleeping pajamas, random plaid pants and a plain tee. He had been there to see the final moments of Sicheng and Renjun’s encounter, the eldest frowned between the two as the both looked elsewhere.

Sicheng’s eyes suddenly lost their emotion and became their normal dull stones as he walked away from the front of Renjun’s door to his own bedroom right next to his. All the while his back was being followed by a pair of eyes belonging to the other two brothers. It didn’t take long before Sicheng opened the door to his bedroom. Just as Sicheng was making his leave Renjun managed to catch a glimpse of something unusual poking out of Sicheng’s ears that he hadn’t noticed before. Small silver studs. The size of tiny rocks and what seemed to be the same material as his own pendant. It was soon that the mute like brother disappeared behind his door, leaving the other two to reminisce in their own new found silence that had been recycled from before. Both of them stared at the closed door Sicheng let himself get swallowed by. It was then that Renjun had thought of a new rule.

 

+

 

The young witch found himself barely half awake that next day during one of his lectures. Despite Sicheng’s icey words to not overthink, Renjun hadn’t followed his demand. It wasn’t like Sicheng inhabited his mind, and it also wasn’t like it was mostly his fault either. Renjun inhaled deeply and curled into his arms that served as shields as well as pillows on the hard surface of his desk. He tried desperately to tune out the nearby classmates, it was the passing time between 1st period and 2nd period. It almost pained Renjun to admit it but he had never been so glad to see Mr. Seo’s talkative self leave the room so fast. And he was by far Renjun’s favorite teacher.

Renjun had spent the entire night prior thinking, much to Sicheng’s discomfort. It first started with his mind racing with the earrings then it went all over the place before going back to those damn studs. Those studs, they looked to have been made of the same silver. It was the first time Renjun had seen Sicheng wear them. What was even more weird was that Sicheng didn’t even come out of his room for breakfast that morning. Kun had checked his bedroom to and told him it was his first time seeing Sicheng oversleep. He had said so with such a proud and happy smile Renjun felt something wasn’t right. Maybe Kun did know more than he let on.

Renjun stirred on top of his desk, his brows creasing as he caught himself thinking again while he tried to catch some of sleep. He only thought more and more and his mind unconsciously replayed that morning’s chaos at their apartment. From Ten’s yelling words towards Yukhei about being a ‘dumbass klutz’ for spilling the juice to Chenle’s irritating whines towards Kun about desperately wanting (or in his words ‘needing’) a familiar, preferably one under the element of fire, because (in his defense) they were ‘super fucking cool.’

Just further thinking about it gave him a headache, Renjun groaned lowly. With sluggish movements he further pressed his forehead into his forearm. The young witch tried to let the buzz of lingering sleep take him either way, even if it was painfully slow. It frustrated him and he was about to give up on the whole sleepijng thing just when a hand rested on his shoulder and wrinkle the fabric of his blazer. Renjun felt himself almost melt out of his skin to the suddenness and unfamiliarity of it. The hand gripped onto his uniform and tugged him up. The witch parted his lips and almost let out a yelp before commanding the that had fallen arms at his side to move and in lighting speed he shot his own hands to his mouth to stop the sound.

From the other’s tugs, Renjun was led to his feet and his legs felt weak, his chair having been pushed back by his own movements to give himself room to stand. Renjun was obviously wide awake, blood practically drained from his entire body at this point, even as stiff as one of those floorboards from back at the shop Kun was probably still working on.

And even on his jelly legs something ugly managed to curl in the depths of his stomach and strangle the organ that rocketed to his throat. If his mind wasn’t racing before it was now. Rather it was on overload. His instincts told him not to draw attention because he wasn’t sure if it was some spirit or not. And even if it was a spirit, how the hell had it managed to get so close? Was the pendant not enchanted enough? The witch gathered the last bits of his sanity and tried to prove this theory by frantically running his eyes across the students in his line of vision for some sort of reaction. Much to his small comfort they were all just as shocked as he was.

Something about their wide eyes let hints of relief melt his stiffness but he reminded himself that even if he wasn’t dealing with a spirit he need to know what the hell the other wanted. With less terror and now micro bits of concrete confidence, Renjun willed himself to peer behind him. Although his eyes were first to land on the hand at his shoulder. Those same eyes were also first to turn even more of a saucer wide to the bracelet that hung at the wrist of that hand. A familiar carrot charm gleamed underneath the classroom’s fluorescent lighting.

 

+

 

Na Jaemin, from what Renjun learned through overhearing his loud chattering classmates, was a well known student amongst the entirety of the school for four reasons.The first, his relations to the director of the school being his close relative.The second, his constant absence from nearly every class. The third, his vibrant and eye catching pink hair and lastly being his so perceived undying charms. Renjun was the victim of encountering many girls in giggle fits over this pink haired boy that barely showed his face. They seemed to not have the ability of imagining a world without a Na Jaemin in it. Anything of the sort had them in chaos. Renjun had even caught some boys in his class and others blushing a deep red at the mention of Na Jaemin, and even worse, at his rare appearance.

Renjun had only every caught few second glimpses of the attention drawing boy. The one time Donghyuck had been glaring him over his own head to the many scattered instances throughout his first week at the school. If Renjun had time to think he could probably tell you that he had seen Jaemin a total of three times, two of those times being him nonchalantly parading the halls during passing time before he finally left to the rooftop where Renjun assumed he spent most of his day. The young witch had also long before assumed it was because of the director being his relative was what made Jaemin so untouchable by the teachers. It was true, Renjun had never seen him being scolded. Nor heard of such.

The only teacher that actually tried to put an effort into talking to Jaemin, as a human being rather than a student, was Mr. Seo. But was that a lost cause, Jaemin had simply ignored the entirety of Mr. Seo’s existence. Renjun had seen it unfold, it was one of his two glimpses in the halls. Jaemin had just walked away, as if he couldn’t hear the soft pleas of Mr. Seo at all. As if Mr. Seo wasn’t even there to begin with. And maybe it wasn’t a glimpse, now that Renjun thought, but he remembered watching Jaemin walk past the rarely skittish teacher. He remembered glaring so sharply into the back of Jaemin’s pink strands. For more reasons than one. He felt bad that Mr. Seo had to be put in such a position where he was so deeply disrespected and at the same time Renjun felt envy. It had curled and swam around in him as he glared. Envy that Jaemin could so easily do that someone who was living and breathing when Renjun had such a hard time doing so himself when it was just a floating and endlessly wandering energy from a previous living being.

Although, Renjun only wished, now, that he could return to drilling holes into the back of Jaemin’s head. Instead he was being dragged by that very same person, oddly enough, wordlessly up and out of his seat. Renjun was weak in the knees and let himself get hauled around. The students crowded in the classroom were all whispering and pointing fingers, eyes wide and some sharp, it made Renjun want to shrink but Jaemin’s harsh tugs at his blazer had his legs unwillingly moving to the exit and out the hall. It was there where Renjun was met with more judging eyes and the desire to disperse into thin air became a thick ink in the walls of his mind that dripped down to his chest where it drowned his heart and filled his cold veins. He hated this part of himself. Being a rag doll in someone else’s hold merely out of fear. He was so weak.

Renjun hung his head low and let his arms go numb.They dropped from his lips and fell at his side. He watched the back of Jaemin’s shoes travel down the hall.They continued down, much further, leaving the groups of chattering students behind until their voices were small echos that  jumped off the walls just as they sharply turned a corner. Renjun wheezed out quietly at the harsh tug of his blazer which tugged, although the hardness was unintentional on Jaemin’s part but it was the last thing the other would believe.

Renjun had seen it in movies in many times, where the weakest looking person would get picked on by the socially high ranking students, was this what it was? Was this what he was about face? The witch stared at the behind of cruelty’s sneakers as he thought. Renjun was going mentally numb at this point, and he would’ve already if it weren't for the sound of their stomping shoes. The loud thumps were barely in rhythm to the erratic beating of Renjun’s fearful heart. That very drum in his ears told him he was still alive. That he shouldn’t give up so easily.

Nonetheless, he watched with eyes peeled open as they reached a staircase. Renjun briefly lifted his gaze to see that Jaemin’s sharp eyes had glanced at him. The young witch was left breathless at the glass of what met his marbles. His ink ridden heart rattled in a different way now, involuntarily, and Renjun tried desperately not to let his face heat up in red. Jaemin was gorgeous up close. The pink haired boy visibly frowned and leaned a little closer. Renjun felt choked up. His face had definitely turned a crimson shade by now. It made his heart more unsettled. They stayed like that for a while.

Jaemin’s raised his brow and scanned Renjun up and down, shamelessly. Renjun wanted to shrink again but another part of him was admiring the darkness of the other’s beautifully long lashes that curled around his enticing dark eyes, the young witch was even taken by perfect plushness of his heart shaped lips. Breathtaking. So this was what those girls couldn’t imagine a world being without. Perhaps they weren’t as delusional as Renjun had first perceived. But it was what venomously left those plush lips next that had Renjun’s lungs without air.

“You sure as hell don’t look like a damn witch.” The beautiful boy scoffed.

It was true, Jaemin was drop dead gorgeous. Anyone with eyes could openly admit it, but then again, looks weren’t everything. It was then Renjun had thought of Sicheng, surprisingly. It was something about the suddenness of this situation that had reminded him of the previous night. It was oddly familiar. Along with the memory it had brought Renjun’s newly made rule. It miraculously appeared into his mind in bold letters, like a slap to the face.

 _Rule number 5 :_   _Not everyone is who they are made out to be_


	6. rule #6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chapter is a little shorter and probably littered with even more mistakes. sorry if half of it doesn't make sense,

Renjun’s pool of dark eyes were expectedly wide in dumbfoundment. His lips so obviously parted in disbelief to the squint in Jaemin’s eyes and the stiffness under his gaze. Renjun had practically felt his entire face drain from color, probably an sickeningly blank white canvas with his dark circle ridden eyes as big as quarters. Back in Renjun’s subconscious, he over analyzing the setting instead, trying to find an easy escape, even though they were simple at the end of some staircase that was naturally connected to a hallway. But that very staircase had lead up to a set of metal doors.

Renjun hadn’t broken eye contact with the other, still stunned by his commentary accompanied by his striking looks. Jaemin was the first to break Renjun from his trance and state of shock by the sharp tick of his tongue lathered in annoyance and the prompt turn of his head to the staircase. It didn’t take long before Jaemin had decided to put a step in his feet again, Renjun having to go along due to his still very much frozen frame.

Jaemin spent seconds dragging Renjun’s feather weight figure up the staircase to the doors silently. But it was obvious by the knot at his shoulders that this was the last thing he wanted to do. Renjun wasn’t sure if that was supposed to insult him or not. Soon they were already at the top of the stairs in the face of the two doors, not that Renjun was paying too attention though. He was busy trying to will his legs to move freely, as well as trying to muster the courage to slap Jaemin’s hand off his shoulder, but it was all to no avail. The young witch only got a short glimpse behind his shoulder to the bottom of the staircase before Jaemin abruptly yanked one of the doors open. There was suddenly a chilling gust of morning air blown right in his face, probably due to Jaemin harsh yank often entrance. Renjun lifted his gaze and managed to peek past Jaemin’s shoulder to see what was behind the door.

The young witch’s throat became dryer at the sight and he was beginning to feel a headache bloom at his temple to his overstimulated stress. It was the same rooftop Jaemin was known to disappear to. This was almost expected, where else would Jaemin take them that wouldn’t be interrupted by the appearance of an adult? What had Renjun nearly losing his mind over was the why. The great and simple why, to which only made him more frustrated to know when Jaemin had so degradingly mentioned him being witch.

Just as wordlessly as Jaemin had dragged Renjun around had he pushed him forward to the rooftop. Renjun bit his bottom lip to stop the sound of surprise that dared to slip past him. He reddened and stumbled on his own feet but managed not to trip and fall on his own face. He was barely crouched down instead, his legs bent slightly and his hands on his knees as he admired the cement floor underneath his shoes. Renjun’s lungs became cold with his still very real fear when he heard the soles of Jaemin shoes make noise and the sound of the metal door closing behind him. The young witch also couldn't miss the sound of a lock clicking even if he wanted it to.

As if a rod had been shot up Renjun’s spine, his straightened his back and let his arms fall limp at his sides as he whipped around. Jaemin had a scowl on his pretty face as he leaned back against the door with his arms crossed. The bubble gum haired boy rolled his eyes at the sight of terror painted on Renjun’s face.  

“You’re here!” An oddly familiar deep voice, that in any other circumstances, would've melted Renjun, exclaimed happily. Renjun turned away from Jaemin just as fast as he looked back in the first place to see a boy just as tall as Jaemin lounging amongst a crowd of piled desks. He had untamed pitch black hair and a sculpted face, he gently smiled at Renjun, his eyes disappearing and turning into beautiful crescents, Renjun felt himself redden again. Why were these guys here so gorgeous? Renjun found himself to be nothing in comparison. Those were the east of his worries though.

Renjun’s eyes ran between Jaemin, who was looking elsewhere with annoyance evident on feature, and the other boy who had just hopped off one of the desks and was making he way towards them, his lovely smile still intact. The young witch was soon to dart his eyes elsewhere on the rooftop. His orbs scattered from the edge of the rooftop to the desks that had been messily piled around, avoiding the other’s gaze as he approached him.

Once the other had finally neared them he frowned to the traces of previous cold blooded terror that had been on Renjun’s features. Although Renjun was calmer than before, he still felt himself wanting to be swallowed by the earth. There on the rooftop, underneath the grey clouds, Renjun had subconsciously wished for there to be a sudden storm. And that with it, a crowd of thunder and lighting bolts so there would be possibility of him being stricken. It was those thoughts that lingered in Renjun's mind as his heart still buzzed uncomfortably in his chest and his vocals became too numb to protest much. Not that he would’ve even if he could. Courage wasn't one of his strong suits, obviously. The taller with dark hair audibly huffed and turned to Jaemin behind Renjun with a frown.

“Did you have to scare him?” The dark haired boy inquired with disapproval littering his voice. Jaemin’s piercing eyes darted quickly to the other’s frame and such an action would’ve risen hairs on Renjun’s arms, though the dark haired boy had barely flinched underneath his intense gaze. Jaemin almost immediately scoffed to the look on his face with Renjun’s back still slightly hunched and towards him.

“Scare him?” Jaemin almost let a mocking laugh slip but rolled his eyes instead, “I merely brought him here like you asked.” Renjun began to gnaw at his bottom lip, something about the edge of Jaemin’s words had the young witch wince for no reason as his heart rate picked up again, “He scared himself all on his own….” Jaemin trailed as his eyes slowly moved over Renjun’s small back, frowning slightly when he noticed the faint trembling of the arms at his sides and how his hands gathered the fabric of his slacks in their tight grips. Jaemin found himself almost feeling bad. Almost. 

“Sorry about him,” The other mentioned, his speech obviously directed towards Renjun now. The young witch nearly jumped out of his own skin as he stammered over his vocabulary. It took seconds for him to form a real sentence but the other’s smile only returned and seemed wider at that.

“I-It’s okay….. I guess,” Renjun had managed. The dark haired wet his bottom lip like he was planning to say something but instead paused briefly as he shifted his weight to one of his legs. He huffed to himself and let his eyes run over Renjun’s practically cowering frame before he mindlessly commented on it.

“I can’t tell you’re scared of me or naturally this frightful,” There was genuine curiosity in the gentleness of the inquiry but Renjun reddened in shamefulness as Jaemin was heard ticking his tongue in the back. Renjun gulped and subconsciously started tripped over his words again. Although this time it was more frantic and his face was ridiculously feverish.

The young witch’s heart was trembling in his chest as he tried to take in the warm smile the other was still radiating. Renjun had been given warm smiles by his brother before but these were different. He had never gotten them from a cute boy. Renjun felt his heart skip as it vibrated.

“Don’t hurt yourself,” Jaemin was heard muttering and Renjun turned a brighter crimson (if that was even possible) before he ultimately stopped trying to create a coherent sentence. Renjun slumped forward and shut his lips as his eyes better focused themselves on the cement of the ground. Meanwhile, the cute boy had ignored Jaemin’s comment and only continued to smile softly.

“I…” the dark haired boy started but found himself pausing briefly, Renjun hesitantly peeked up past his lashes to see the warm smile had been replaced with a thin worried line. The cute boy was obviously shifting on his footing out of nervousness and that only strung out the young witch’s subconscious anticipation. The dark haired boy cleared his throat now, “I actually have a favor to ask you.” Renjun frowned at the sheepish smile that now spread on the other’s lips before he heard Jaemin scoffing behind him again.

 

+

 

_Rule number 6 : Expect the unexpected_

 

Lee Jeno, as the cute dark haired boy had introduced himself, didn’t look dead. Lee Jeno was vibrant and young, to which it took Renjun only seconds it realize. Lee Jeno, with his tangled night hair and relaxed bottomless eyes. Lee Jeno, fitted in a baggy white button up and navy slacks. The button was dirted at some of his hems, the sleeves not being short but not long either. The fabric was above his forearm but ran down too far past his shoulders to be considered a short sleeve. It had reminded Renjun of an old fashioned school uniform. But, again, that was the least of his worries. Lee Jeno was also the last person Renjun would suspect to be a spirit. Jeno didn’t feel dead. Hadn’t _seemed_ dead. Not at all. Not one bit.

“Y-You’re-” Renjun began to whisper, fear crawling up his spine and he found himself taking a step back. One of the hands that had been clutching at his pants shot up to his chest and took a hold of the pendant underneath his uniform. “Dead?” He finished off breathlessly. It was rare that he'd encounter such a human looking spirit, such an _alive_ looking spirit. Was Jeno the spirit that the bunny had previously chased in the halls? Was Jaemin that bunny? Renjun wanted to glance back Jaemin, which, now he that realized dumbly, had matching a hair color to the bunny’s fur. But was too afraid that he would accidentally meet eyes with the other. Jaemin shuffled at the door.

“That’s what I’m saying,” mumbled the reaper. Jeno shifted again, obviously not too pleased by the crease at his forehead and the frown decorating his lips. Renjun felt his throat go nervously dry ad he quietly further stepped back from the other. No matter how cute he was, the dead were the dead. Exactly. Spirits were spirits. So why. His pendant. Renjun tightened his grip at his chest and eyed Jeno’s shoes.

“I’m not dead,” Jeno groaned, more towards the stubborn Jaemin behind Renjun than anyone. “I’ve been telling you, I never died.” He tried to reason for what seemed the the 100th time, Jaemin only made a face and repeated the same words in a higher pitched mocking tone, clear for Jeno to hear. Renjun let the words sink in and stammered in his next sentence, still trying to let the idea of Jeno possibly not being alive settle in. And still very much keeping his distance. Although a part of him was skeptical.

“What do you mean?” It was the first words that slipped out of Renjun’s lips without a stutter. Jeno sighed as Jaemin began mutter complaints to himself, quieter now, but decided to answer Renjun’s question. Jeno took in a deep breath and Renjun lifted his eyes from the ground and for another first met his gazes with the night haired boy. Renjun half expected there to be a chilling sensation to litter itself on him like it usually did when he acknowledged spirits. But he felt nothing. Absolutely nothing.

“It’s a curse....” Jeno dragged out his confession and Jaemin let out a small laugh, again the other openly ignored him. Jeno bit at his lip as Renjun began to feel oddly more brave, still keeping a tight grip on their eye contact. The young and normally frightful witch wasn’t the first to look away, Jeno did instead. It left an unsettled feeling at Renjun’s chest but he didn’t comment on it. “A witch’s curse… that can only be broken by a witch.”

Renjun was unresponsive for a good second before he started to blink slowly and his conscious returned to him. This time he thought of what to say next, So many things were going through his mind. He really wanted to have time to think but he knew that he didn’t have that with these two seemingly looming for his answer. Jaemin, from his post at the door, looked at Renjun’s back again after those wordless seconds and this time the young witch felt te holes being burned at his frame. He swallowed at that. Finally thinking of words, Renjun parted his lips.

“Y-You should probably ask my brother, Zhong Chenle, for this. He’s much better at this than me, trust me. I’m sure you’d rather have him help you, he even-” Renjun rambled on but was forced to hold onto his tongue just as Jeno spoke.

“He can’t see me.” the spirit, the cute boy, the _whatever,_ muttered and Renjun was dumbstruck again. Jaemin’s eyes were starting to feel unbearably uncomfortable behind him too. Renjun blinked rapidly before opening and closing his mouth. What was he supposed to say? Truthfully, at this point, Renjun was mostly convinced that Jeno was indeed not a spirit. Despite those times of doubt, Renjun trusted his brother’s incantations on the pendant, and if Jeno had really been a spirit. Something would’ve at least happened. There was also his intuition, something about the boy in front of him didn't reek of the dead, even if Renjun had been cautious in the beginning. But then again, what could _he_ do? What could _Renjun_ do that would be of actual help? He was mediocre with spells, at best.

“I don’t think your brother would be okay with helping him anyway,” Jaemin’s voice broke through Renjun’s racing thoughts. He so nonchalantly spoke such a sentence that Renjun let himself get too comfortable, which explained his next outburst.

“And I would?” the amount bitterness at the end of his tongue even had him stunned. It was instant regret for the witch as his eyes suddenly widened after milliseconds of his slip of words. The hand that wasn’t at his chest shot up to his lips and his eyes quivered slightly just as silence coated thickly the air. Even Jeno looked a little taken aback, It was the bite, back in Renjun’s voice that had both of the taller boys doing a double take. Jaemin had found himself speechless. Still staring at the back of Renjun’s smaller figure in moments of astonishment. It only took another round of stiff wordless seconds for Jaemin to clear his throat and reposition himself on the door. He managed to regain himself and continued to speak while Jeno took a little longer to return to his desperate self. Jaemin let his lips part.

“God, it’s just a kiss. Hurry and get this over with.” the reaper grunted and Renjun felt his world turn itself upside down. Kiss? Renjun heart was doing a lot of things, and staying still wasn’t one of those things. Although the redness at his neck stayed that and he felt himself short on air. Renjun looked at Jeno for confirmation. The other only shied away cutely with his own crimson coloring his face. It was unbelievable. Unimaginable.

There had been countless times. Numerous times, where Renjun had wished, begged, to be anything but the witch he was. Felt this rock like emotion weighing at his throat as well as at his chest. Felt these hands wrap themselves around his neck. Over and over again. And this time, in the presence of this reaper and spirit that really wasn’t a spirit, Renjun wasn’t sure what he had found himself feeling. But a kiss. Yes, a kiss. Renjun really hoped there’d be a storm soon. There, standing on the school's rooftop with two handsome boys. A big dark storm, preferably with lighting. Lots and lots of lighting.

 


End file.
